The hot summer months find many of us poolside with chilled drinks, sunhats and (hopefully) and issue of Edible San Luis Obispo in hand. What is the month of July without kids screaming “cannonball!” while plunging into the water or a BBQ without ice in our drinks? Water is an essential ingredient of summer and one that we are privileged to take for granted.

Even in this modern age (perhaps because of our modern age), much of the planet is experiencing water shortages. Water scarcity plagues two-thirds of the global population for at least one month of the year, according to UNICEF. In just five years’ time, 700 million people could be displaced due to water scarcity by the nonprofit’s assessment. Protecting potable water is an urgent matter and each of us must play a role in doing so.

San Luis Obispo County is currently in good standing with water conservation, though we know that can change with a bad drought year. Just 10 years ago, a water shortage led to an anti- waste campaign threatened $500 fines and utilized anonymous tip lines for violators. Those extreme measures were met with much pushback for the excessive policing and what one op-ed writer called “draconian” policies.

While our community isn’t facing any major shortages of H₂0, we know that’s not true of our neighbors around the globe. As industry expands and regulations on pollution scale up or down dependent on our nation’s leader, the threat looms large for many people the world over. We must do our part to not only practice mindful water management on a personal level, but support the farms, wineries and hospitality leaders who make this same conscious effort. In this issue, we take a deep dive into the water conservation efforts of our county, where we’ve been and where we’re headed; we learn about the way irrigation is managed at a North County winery and the efficiency of water use at local olive groves; Chef Rachel Ponce shows us the versatility of water in cooking; and we take a sip of coffee — a beverage we couldn’t enjoy without water.

I hope these stories inspire you to think about your own water use and personal responsibility to be a good steward of this resource. All this is not to guilt you out of your pool day with the kids. It’s just a reminder — for myself, included — to mind the taps and continue calling for protections that keep our water clean. Water is life. I raise my glass of water to each of you!

Sincerely,

Aja